Council seeks three additional CAT buses

Council seeks three additional CAT buses

THE Penang Municipal Council has requested three additional Central Area Transit (CAT) city shuttle buses from Rapid Penang to ply the CAT route in George Town.

MPPP financial management sub-committee alternate chairman Tan Hun Wooi said that there would be a total of six CAT buses if Rapid Penang agreed to the council’s request.

The three buses that ply the CAT route each make 14 trips per day within the heritage enclave.

“The council pays Rapid Penang RM50,000 a month to operate the service from 6am to midnight daily,” he said.

Tan said Rapid Penang owed the council RM656,000 in site rental for the Lorong Kulit, Tanjung Bungah and Balik Pulau bus stations.

“Therefore, we will contra the debt with the monthly payments for the three new buses,” he said.

Tan said Rapid Penang was required to provide the service as part of the conditions set by the council for Rapid Penang to enjoy the 50% discount in the site rental at the bus stations.

“We have also asked Rapid Penang to appoint three state representatives including an MPPP representative, who will be named by the Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng to sit on Rapid Penang’s board of directors,” he said.

Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, Tan said the additional three new CAT buses would allow Rapid Penang to clear the debt with the coun- cil while the council gets to provide additional transport service which would benefit Penangites and tourists.

-News courtesy of The Star-